With the advent and explosion of the Internet, a wide variety of World Wide Web (“Web” or “WWW”) sites have become available to users that provide all types of services and information. In order to provide a consistent user interface and brand name across several Web sites, a Web site may be “co-branded.” Co-branding refers to the process of creating a custom version of a Web site that is visually consistent with another Web site and, in some circumstances, that appears to be provided in part by the owner of the other Web site.
For instance, a Web site may be provided that offers a service through which users can maintain and update a shared network database. A business partner of such a Web site may desire to offer such a service to their employees or customers. However, the business partner may desire to have the service provided in a manner that is visually consistent with their main Web site. To accomplish this, a “co-branded” version of the Web site for maintaining and updating a shared network database is created. The co-branded Web site contains colors, graphics, and other visual elements that are visually consistent with the colors, graphics, and other visual elements utilized at the business partner's main Web site. Moreover, the business partner's Web site is modified so that the users of the business partner's Web site may access the co-branded Web site through the business partner's Web site. Because the sites are provided in a visually consistent manner, users are more comfortable using the co-branded Web site and do not feel as if they are being transported to an external Web site.
By co-branded a Web site as described above, a great deal of value may be provided to the business partner. The business partner can offer services that appear to come from the business partner without making a large investment in creating such a service from the ground up. However, such an arrangement is not without its drawbacks. For instance, the partner Web site and the co-branded Web site are typically password protected and therefore require users to register before they may be authorized to access the Web sites. This may be frustrating for a user or system administrator who has to register twice with each site and then login to each site separately for access. Moreover, when users are deleted from the partner Web site, they should also be deleted from the co-branded Web site. If this does not occur, a former employee or customer may retain access to the co-branded Web site even after their authorization to access the partner site has been deleted.
Accordingly, in light of the above, there is a need for a method and system for providing remote access to the facilities of a server computer that synchronizes the user registration, deletion, and other maintenance facilities of a co-branded Web site with those of a partner Web site. Additionally, there is a need for a method and system for providing remote access to the facilities of a server computer that permits a user to simultaneously login to a co-branded Web site and a partner Web site.